The 5 Best Cameras For Portraits - Fall 2023 Reviews

Though it might be overkill for some, the Sony α7 IV is one of the best enthusiast cameras on the market. With a 33-megapixel full-frame sensor, it's a great choice for high-quality portrait work, whether making prints or sharing your work online. The camera's also very well-built, has many customization options, and comes with dual SD card slots if you prefer to keep a running backup. Plus, it has a fantastic autofocus system with sophisticated eye AF for precise focusing and in-body image stabilization (IBIS) that comes in handy when shooting handheld in dimmer lighting.

There are a plethora of third-party lens options available, along with plenty of excellent native lenses from Sony, giving you many options to choose from for portrait work. The Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 offers much value if you're looking at native lenses, but don't overlook third-party options from manufacturers like Tamron or Sigma. Overall, it's a fantastic hybrid camera, but if you're more strictly shooting portraits, the Sony α7 III is still an excellent camera with a lower price point. It has a lower-resolution sensor and uses an older version of Sony's AF system.

If you think the Sony α7 IV is, in fact, overkill for your needs—and your wallet—the Fujifilm X-T5 is another fantastic choice for portraits that will save you a bit of money. Though it has a smaller APS-C sensor than the Sony camera, it's one of the highest-resolution crop sensors on the market. At 40 megapixels, it can capture incredibly detailed photos and gives you plenty of leeway to crop and edit your portraits if needed.

Although full-frame cameras have an advantage when it comes to bokeh, it's still possible to get creamy backgrounds and shallow depths of field with an APS-C sensor. It helps that Fujifilm offers some very fast X series lenses that are ideal for this. The XF 56mm F1.2 R or the remarkably wide-aperture XF 50mm f/1.0 R WR, for instance, will get you some nice bokeh and have full-frame equivalent focal lengths that are well-suited to portrait work. These are pricy lenses, however, so you might be all set with the slightly more affordable XF 35mm f/1.4 R or even cheaper third-party options from brands like Sigma and Tokina.

The Nikon Z 5 is a great mid-range option if you want a full-frame camera at a lower price point. This is a steal of a camera, especially if portrait photography is your priority. It isn't as versatile for sports and action photography because of its slow max burst rate, but its high-resolution sensor captures stunning image quality. Nikon's ergonomics are also fantastic, and the camera feels sturdy and well-built, with a high-res EVF and tilting screen. Battery life is also great for a mirrorless model.

Nikon's Z-mount lenses are also excellent, though lens selection is more limited than what's available for Sony models like the Sony α7 IV above or the Sony α6400 below. The S Line, in particular, offers high-quality glass that will impress. Though expensive, the Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S is the best choice for portraits if you want to go all-in on the Z system. Overall, the Z 5 is an excellent camera that offers tons of value for portrait photographers.

If you're on a tighter budget, the Sony α6400 is a great mirrorless option to get you started in portrait photography. It's a portable crop-sensor camera with a sturdy build and a high-resolution APS-C sensor. Its ergonomics pale compared to the Nikon Z 5, but some people may find it's worth the trade-off for added portability. It also has a lot of customization options to tailor the controls to your preference.

Another standout feature of this camera is that it uses the same lens mount as the higher-end Sony α7 IV, so you'll have access to the same stable of great lens options, including full-frame FE and crop sensor E lenses. The kit lens is fine to cut your teeth on if you're just starting, but a lens like the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN is an excellent third-party option for portraits if you outgrow the kit lens, though there are many other options at different price points. On top of that, you have Sony's ever-reliable autofocus system with precise eye AF, making this a versatile camera that won't break the bank.

If you're looking for a cheap dedicated camera for portraits, the Canon EOS Rebel T7 / EOS 2000D is about as cheap as it gets, short of buying from the used market. It's an incredibly simple DSLR with an easy-to-use interface and minimal physical controls. You won't find extra features like weather-sealing or even a tilting screen here, but it has a solid 24-megapixel sensor that, paired with a decent lens, can get you great results on a budget. There are also some relatively affordable lens options for the EF-S mount, including the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8, which is one of the best bang-for-your-buck lenses out there.

If you want to stretch your budget a little, the slightly pricier Canon EOS Rebel SL3 or Nikon D3500 are great options with better processors and sturdier builds. The Nikon even has a built-in Guide Mode to walk novice users through the basics of photography. But if you're on a very tight budget or want to spend more of your money on lenses, the T7 is an accessible camera that makes for a good starting point for "proper" photography.